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Sandy's Photographic Ramblings : A random selection of my most recent work.

Sandy's Photographic Ramblings

smcclearn

A random selection of my most recent work.

Updated: Jun 19, 2013 6:00pm PST

HI Spring Migration of 0417-1913 : On April 17, 18, and 19, 2013, Jay Mangum and I spent our first visit this year in the blind at High Island, Boy Scout Woods.  Scott Meyer joined us on the 18th and 19th.  Wednesday started with a rainstorm and cold, rain, and clouds plagued us most of the time, ditto a lack of birds.  I have over the last five years noticed when there are both high winds and a lack of sun there are no birds.  We did in fact have some birds, but they were very few in number and variety compared to other seasons.

I have posted in this gallery a variety of the birds we did see and shoot.  For me it turned into a photography study.  I was experimenting with a variety of flash techniques and ways in which I could maximize the depth of field.  I had decided after careful consideration that it was the birds movement, not within the focal plane, but normal to that plane, and it was that movement that took the bird or parts of the bird out of the depth of field and hence out of focus.  I shot high speed flash mode shooting some shots with a shutter speed as high as 1/1600 sec. In this mode however, the lens is opened all the way, minimizing the depth of field.  I did compensate by pulling back on the focal length shooting between 450mm and 500mm instead of extending all the way out to 600mm.  I have plans to try other flash techniques next week, in order to shoot with a higher F-stop in order to increase depth of field.  The down side of this will be shooting with a higher intensity flash.

HI Spring Migration of 0417-1913

AubreyC

On April 17, 18, and 19, 2013, Jay Mangum and I spent our first visit ...

Updated: Jun 19, 2013 3:39pm PST

HI Spring Migration April 24th, 25th, 26th, 2013 : I would like to dedicate this gallery to my friend Ken Coleman.  He got me started into bird photography back in June of 2008.  Due to a serious illness my friend was not able to participate in this Spring's activities.  I am so thankful for his getting me started and most of all for his friendship.

Jay Mangum and I went to the Boy Scout Woods blind in High Island, Texas for our second week of shooting migrating birds this Spring.  We were there on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of April.  I am thankful for the beautiful birds we were able to see; however, they were seen and photographed during a lot of challenging weather and few birds, especially warblers.  I must say that I am speaking in regard to the blind area.  When the wind is blowing hard, the noise of the rustling leaves masks the drip sounds.  However, Jay and I had a good time and I learned a lot about flash photography this time.  Also, I was able to solve many other photography problems related to shooting in the blind.  I shot many more photographs, but I chose these as they represented what we saw.

I shot under three different trial flash conditions and also experimented with trying to find ways to practically mitigate problems with depth of field from shooting so close to the subject with a long lens, and the restrictions that are part of the camera manufacturers design.

HI Spring Migration April 24th, 25th,...

AubreyC

I would like to dedicate this gallery to my friend Ken Coleman. He go ...

Updated: Jun 19, 2013 10:25am PST

Reddish Egrets - Sportsman Rd_San Luis Pass 0601713 : Jay Mangum and I took another run to Galveston today.  Tide was really too high when we were there with Scott Meyer last Thursday.  Feeding depth was just right in the wetlands running along the south side of Sportsman Road on the west end of Galveston Road.  Saw the Reddish Egret shadow dance himself into a fine catch of fish, shrimp, and crabs.  We left early and the reddish guy was still performing, but I already had about 1500 pictures of him and his buddy at San Luis Pass and along Sportsman Road.  This time of year makes the light good along Sportsman Rd. and makes most shots at San Luis Pass backlit.  Jay solved the problem at San Luis Pass by stepping into a knee-high pair of rubber boots and wading out on the other side of his targets getting the sun to his back and onto the his targets.  It was so enervation to this old 73 guy to watch that young 64 year old whipper-snapper alter the  hand to which he was dealt.  Way to go Jay.

Reddish Egrets - Sportsman Rd_San Lui...

AubreyC

Jay Mangum and I took another run to Galveston today. Tide was really ...

Updated: Jun 17, 2013 5:11pm PST

New Images - Public : Newest on page 1 and oldest on last page.  


© All images and their descriptions on this website are the property of Newsy (a pseudonym for CL) except where noted.
All unauthorized use prohibited.

New Images - Public

Newsy

Newest on page 1 and oldest on last page. © All images and their ...

Updated: Jun 16, 2013 10:08pm PST

Ducks and Whoopers at Lamar Peninsula on 010613 : Jay and I made a 400 mile round trip to Lamar Peninsula to try to get some ducks in flight.  When we arrived there were less than a dozen and one-half ducks there.  The bonanza though was a male Bufflehead in breeding plumage with his mate and two Green-wing teal males.  Normally there would be three to four dozen Pintails and Redheads on the lake and they would fly out over time in predictable paths allowing for fairly close shots in good light.  The few Pintails and Redheads that were there gave as many opportunities for in flight shots in good light.  As for the Green-wing Teal, they are afternoon opportunities.  In the afternoon from about 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM the light is across the lake and if you stand at the edge of the reeds for cover and wait the Green-wing teal usually swim over to that side.  Even so, you are afforded a shot at least half the distance across the lake as from the end of the lake by Beachfront Road.  As for the divers, given patience and little motion, they eventually swim up toward the beach end of the lake where the deep water affords good diving and feeding.  The opposite end has the depths for dabblers.  Click on the 'Map This' button for a map of the lake's layout.

Usually on a day at that lake I would have at least 3000 shots, this day it was on 500.  I have tried to post a sampling of what the day was like.

Ducks and Whoopers at Lamar Peninsula...

AubreyC

Jay and I made a 400 mile round trip to Lamar Peninsula to try to get ...

Updated: Jun 15, 2013 6:04am PST

Flowers : It might be a flower, it might be a "weed" but if it's a blossom it goes here

Flowers

PeacefulPlaces

It might be a flower, it might be a "weed" but if it's a blossom it go ...

Updated: Jun 10, 2013 8:52pm PST

Lake "G" Watercraft : The photos and videos in this gallery were shot without a tripod using a Sony Alpha NEX camera.

Lake Goodwin (Lake "G") is a beautiful body of water covering 535 acres, with 5.4 miles of shoreline, located in Snohomish County, Washington. It is in the Seven Lakes area northwest of Seattle. Lake Goodwin is the largest and most popular lake of the Seven Lakes community. Rainbow Trout, Large/Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish can be found in the lake. Ducks, Cormorants, Blue Heron, Lake Otters, Racoons, Rabbits, Deer, and other wildlife live around the lake. Seagulls, Bald Eagles, and other birds can be seen from time to time in the sky above. Except for "summer water sports" and the annual July 4th. boat parade/fireworks, Lake Goodwin is a quiet and peaceful place.

Lake "G" Watercraft

BIG-Dude-Productions

The photos and videos in this gallery were shot without a tripod using ...

Updated: Jun 10, 2013 8:46am PST

My Backyard Birds of May 2013 : Since IKE and the drought Yellow-crown Night Heron have moved into our neighborhood, Mount Vernon in Pasadena, TX.  Now after a number of years of nesting their numbers are growing.  This year a pair built a nest in the top of an oak tree across the street from our house.  I have enjoyed sitting under the shade of our oak on the side of our house watching the herons in the morning.  That is when the light is best and illuminates the nest area.  After about 10:00 AM the nest area is largely in shadow and in the afternoon it is backlit.  For the longest time I suspected the young had hatched given the behavior of the adults.  This past week we saw little tufts of feathers that would stick above the rim of the nest and almost immediately disappear again below the rim.  As of the last couple of days,  the young birds have begun to stand up in the nest and can be seen.  There are now for the first time periods when both adults are gone from the nest at the same time.  I suppose since the adults feed mainly on crawfish and crabs and given the size of the young, it must take both adults working to get enough to feed their off-spring.

My Backyard Birds of May 2013

AubreyC

Since IKE and the drought Yellow-crown Night Heron have moved into our ...

Updated: Jun 04, 2013 11:07am PST

Water Fowl : Ducks, Geese, Swans and more

Water Fowl

PeacefulPlaces

Ducks, Geese, Swans and more

Updated: Jun 02, 2013 7:56pm PST

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